The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a shell member.
Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional electrical connector. In the conventional electrical connector, a plurality of terminals (contacts) is arranged and held in a housing (an insulating body). An upper shell (a plug shell) and a lower shell (a ground bar shell) each formed of a metal plate are attached to the housing. The upper shell and the lower shell extend such that a longitudinal direction thereof is aligned with an arrangement direction of the terminals, and have opposing parallel surfaces, respectively.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-129731
In the conventional electrical connector described above, a large number of the terminals are arranged in the housing. When the conventional electrical connector is attached to a circuit board, it is necessary to reduce a size of the conventional electrical connector. Accordingly, it is necessary to form the housing in an elongated shape with a small width and a thin wall. As a result, the upper shell and the lower shell need to be in an elongated shape with a small width and a thin wall. As a whole configuration of the conventional electrical connector, the housing, the upper shell, and the lower shell tend to easily deform at a middle portion in the longitudinal direction thereof.
In the conventional electrical connector described above, the upper shell and the lower shell are directly connected to each other with solder at both end portions thereof in the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the upper shell and the lower shell are not connected with a sufficient strength, thereby making it easy to deform at the middle portion of the conventional electrical connector in the longitudinal direction thereof.
An object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector capable of solving the problems of the conventional electrical connector. In the present invention, an upper shell and a lower shell are attached to a housing with a sufficient strength at a middle portion of the electrical connector in a longitudinal direction thereof.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.